Thousands of Russians bid farewell to last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev 'the peacemaker'

Roses are placed on a sculpture of Mikhail Gorbachev in memory of the final leader of the Soviet Union, at the "Fathers of Unity" memorial in Berlin, Germany August 31, 2022. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Thousands of Russians filed past the open casket of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, on Saturday with many saying they wanted to honour his memory as "a peacemaker" who dismantled totalitarianism and gave them their freedom.

Gorbachev, leader of the Soviet Union from 1985-1991, died on Tuesday aged 91. His body lay in state in the grand Hall of Columns in central Moscow in the tradition of previous Soviet leaders, including Vladimir Lenin and Josef Stalin.